Integration between the knowledge diaspora and their country of origin through institutional affiliations: a case study for policy development

The knowledge economy is fundamentally driven by human capital, making the “brain drain” phenomenon a critical challenge for national development. Traditionally, policy frameworks have focused on repatriation, circulation or vinculation to address this issue. However, these models often fail to account for more regular and permanent institutional associations between the diaspora of knowledge professionals (KPs) and the science, technology and innovation (STI) institutions of their country of origin (CO). Such associations are increasingly feasibly due to technological advances that render many STI activities independent of geography. This paper advances the notion of KP diaspora integration within the domestic STI institutions of their CO, incorporating a framework focused on structural institutional membership. We provide an in depth analysis and propose a blueprint for policy development aimed at achieving this goal. We use Argentina as a case study for several reasons, including its well-developed STI system, its comparatively large KP diaspora, and its history of KP diaspora organization and interaction with the Argentine STI system. The proposed policy framework opens avenues for the development of specific policies at the institutional level tailored to the unique characteristics, local constraints and goals of each organization. The ideas, core principles, and policy blueprint we present have a broader generality and are applicable mutatis mutandis to other developing countries experiencing the brain drain phenomenon.